Steel alloy



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. HONHORST, OF NEWPORT, KENTUCKY.

STEEL ALLOY.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. HONHORST, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Newport, in the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Steel Alloys, of which the following specification is a full disclosure.

My invention relates to an improved steel, the essential features of which are set forth in my application, Serial No. 153,492, March 8, 1917.

The object of the invention is to produce an improved, specialized steel characterized by very high tensile strength, and torsional resistance.

Another object of the invention is to employ as the alloy components determining the specialized characteristics of the steel as distinguished from ordinary steel, elements which are relatively much cheaper than the dominant alloy components of specialized steels, for instance, nickel, vanadium or tungsten.

I have discovered that if chromium and copper are added to a steel or iron, reasonably low in silicon, manganese, sulfur and phosphorous, that a steel is formed of very high tensile strength and great torsional resistance. Carbon is present, or added in proportion adequate for tempering.

I prefer to employ a steel in which the silicon, phosphorus, manganese and sulfur aggregate ranges between, say .7 and does not run over say from 1.5 per cent. to two per cent. My steel runs preferably from ninety-six (96) to ninety-seven (97) per cent. pure iron. To such a steel or iron, I add preferably about .43 per cent. chromium and about .83 copper. Preferably, the copper is in excess of the chromium in about the ratio stated, and carbon is added if necessary to bring it to about .4 per cent., which is appropriate for tempering. The copper and chromium should not in any event exceed five per cent. of the total, though the best results have been obtained Where the percentages are lower, say not to exceed an aggregate of two per cent.

As typical of an analysis of my new steel Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

Application filed December 8. 1917. Serial No. 206.191.

at its best, but not to limit the invention, the following example will sufiice:

Carbon .4 per cent, Silicon .22 per cent, Manganese .38 per cent, Sulfur .042,

Phosphorus .02 per cent, Chromium .43 per cent, Copper .83 per cent, Iron 97.78 per cent.

The alloy is by preference made in an electric furnace and by preference the copper is added early in the melt, while the chromium is added later, so as not to burn out.

I am not aware that any one has heretofore employed a combination of chromium and copper as the controlling agencies of specialized characteristics in steel. Samples of this chromium-copper steel, after having been tempered in the usual manner, have tested up as high as 221,420 tensile strength to the square inch.

I also preferably employ the copper, appreciably in excess of the chromium, though the steel loses toughness and takes on tool steel characteristics in proportion as the chromium percentage is brought near the point of copper percentage.

As a general formula, I should indicate silicon, manganese, sulfur, phosphorus, aggregating approximately one per cent. to one and one half per cent., chromium-copper combination approximating from one to two per cent. and iron from ninety-six to ninety-seven per cent., though exact percentages are not of limiting significance, except where specifically claimed.

I claim 1. A. steel alloy, having high tensile strength and great torsional resistance, the specialized characteristics of which as distinguished from ordinary steel are determined by the alloy containing dominating components of chromium and copper, not to exceed five per cent., and carbon in proportion appropriate for tempering.

2. A steel alloy, having high tensile strength and great torsional resistance,-the

specialized characteristics of which as distinguished from ordinary steel are determined by the alloy containing dominating components of chromium and copper, and the copper being appreciably in excess of the chromium, and carbon in proportion appropriate for tempering.

3. A steel alloy, havlng high tensile strength and great torsional resistance, containing silicon, manganese, sulfur and phosphorus aggregating approximately from one per cent. to one and a half per cent, iron from ninety-six to ninety-seven per cent. and chromium and copper from one to two per cent.

masses being the major alloy components determin ing the specialized characteristics of the al- 10y as compared to ordinary steel.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe -my name, as attested by the two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM G. HONHORST.

Witnesses:

MILDRED SMITH, L. BECK. 

